Among The Finest Four Words In Film Dialogue

Personal film studies find some of my favorite four words of motion picture dialogue... and a truer four-word phrase was never uttered.

Directed by John Ford, and starring John Wayne, James Stewart, and Lee Marvin -- this funny scene is a fine part of the 1962 film “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.”

Edmond O'Brien's character local newspaper editor Dutton Peabody says ”... give me a drink.” Bartender Jack replies “The bar is closed.”  Peabody later replies “A Beer's Not Drinking!”

The great film barroom scene dialogue actually goes like this:

Dutton Peabody: [during local voting for a territorial convention] “I'll have the usual, Jack.”

Jack the Barman: “The bar is closed, Mister Editor, during voting.”

Dutton Peabody: “Bar's closed?”

Tom Doniphon [John Wayne's character]: “You can blame your lawyer friend. He says that's one of the fundamental laws of democracy. No exception.”

Dutton Peabody: "No exceptions for the working press?  Why that's carrying democracy much too far!   Give me a drink."

Tom Doniphon: “Bar's closed.”

Dutton Peabody: “Just a beer!”

Tom Doniphon: “The bar's closed.”

Dutton Peabody: “A beer's not drinking!”